The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1887-03-04

TO proviGc the music for the dancing
that was sure to follow the regular
Halloween festivities 1t was well he
deserted me on the moor, for II had
proceeded further in the direction had
been following would have probably
found myself iloundering in the huge
and treachcrous bog called i'm the
neighbovhood Red Mikes Rest. On the
way Larry O'Hara--for so learned
was the piper's name-gavc me much
curious information about the customs
of Hallowmas Eve in that part of Ire
land, and as his account of how the
great bog from which l had narrowly
escaped got its name is gcrmanc to my
subject, will give it here.
son of Widow O'Flaherty. He was a
der, for he first saw the light atween
dusk an dark o. Haliowmas Eve.
Hereabouts tho people say that If
babby be born on this night, it rims a
moigbty good chance o. bein' possessed
by some sproitc or other; it may or may
not be true, Dim sure it's beyont the
likes o. me to say whether soch things
are possible or not, but OF s0ilI say that
Mike O'Flahcrty was different to other
men from the first. He wor always up
to some game, he wor,' an nivver for
good-lcastway nivver heard o amy
good he liver did. He lied and broke
| his troth to man an woman, an got
into bad odor with priest an magistrate.
for nigh upon twelve years arter he
came TO manhood, until the judgment O.
God came upon him. One Hallow Eve
he was ut the house o. the Flannigans,
up by Glen Creachan. He was curtin
Mary Flanagan, though livery one on
us knew she didn't care two straws for
Red Mike, but was all aglow wi love
for Larry O'Rourke, the Limerick car
rier. It's the custom in these parts for
the childer to run into tho cabbage yard
aforc the evenin' fun begins, an TO
pick out number O cabbage stalks,
an name them arter any seven O. the
folk they have anything to do with;
then, having finished WI the choosin'.
they dance around the place. :
Flannigan's childer. havin' finished
their song, ran into the house an asked
all the folk to come out an sec their
souls. Guild Flanagan pulled his cab
bage stalk, and Mrs. Flanagan hers,
an young Tim Flanagan his, an Mrs.
Tim hers, an purity Mary Flanagan
hers. and Larry O'Rourke his, until it
came to Mike O'Flaherty's turn. The
stalks of all the others had been quite
clean an white, but when Red Mike
pulled up his. it was all black and foul
wi worms an slugs, an wi real bad
smell ahint it. Larry O'Rourke laughed,
an Mary Flanagan giggled, an the
others all looked moighty consumed.
Mike glared about him for a moment,
more like mad bull or n haythin Turk
nor Christian. Then he up an says:
'Ye may laugh. Larry ORourkc, but
yell no be laughin' long; ny, ye may
Singer, Mary, but yo'll be cryin for
nanny u day, whan yer lovers below
the sod, as he will be before the year S
out As for you, ould Flanagan, you
an your son an all that belong to We
We Knocked Red Nike. rs We call me. Ye
forget was born on Hallow Eve! I've
the gift O. the sight, have, and on this
day my curse can blast whatever
choose What more Red Mike would
have said don't know. but ut that mo-
ment Father OConnor came up to
where all were stan'in'. Curses come
home to roost, says he to O'Flaherty. in
starn voice. AN it's you thatll suffer,
Mike O'Flaherty, an no one here. Get
ye gone at once, or I'll put the word on
Iye.' IN go whan l choose, Father
O'Conncy,' says Red Mike, surlily. The
next moment the priest drew crrciiix
from his breast, saying TO O'Flaherty
that even il he wor in league wi the
devil, he could not withstand that.
Mike gave howl jist loike a wild
haste an thin turned an ran down the
glen as fast rs Inc could. Guild Thady
King, the piper (now dead, God rest his
sowlD wor crossing this moor that night,
an who should he see but Red Mike
dancin' an shoutin' like mad. an
screamin' i'm mortal fear. Mike! Mike!
ould Thady cried; but O'Flaherty paid
no attintion to him, but kept on scream
in, an sometimes shoutin' out, NV
time is up! my time is up' Suddenly
he bent forrard an ran like the wind,
took one great leap, an disappeared in
the ground as if he had jumped into the
sea. Nothin' more wor ever seen o.
Red Mike, le0stDise as q man. An
that's why the great bog yonder is
called Red Mikes Rest. "-IVm. Sharp,
II